Rafiabad (Zaloora): Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference senior Vice President and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil on Wednesday said that the Public Safety Act is a creation of the late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and that the NC is responsible for the sufferings of thousands of Kashmiris booked under this law in the past three decades.
Vakil, according to the PC spokesperson, while addressing a worker’s convention in Zalura, Rafiabad said that Omar Abdullah should first talk about the history of the Public Safety Act before seeking votes for a majority in the Assembly to abolish this controversial law.
“It was the NC that brought this black law into the state. In 1977 when people gave a majority to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and in 1978 when Morarji Desai was the Prime Minister of India, Sheikh Abdullah brought the PSA into the state. PSA was introduced to crush his political opponents and muzzle the voice of Kashmiris. His son Farooq Abdullah and grandson Omar Abdullah indiscriminately slapped PSA on thousands of Kashmiris during their tenures. They did not spare anyone and even booked juveniles under this law,” he added.
Vakil stated that the only leader who opposed the introduction of PSA in 1978 was the Late Abdul Gani Lone who cautioned Sheikh Abdullah about the possible misuse of PSA against innocent Kashmiris.
“Late Lone sahib warned Sheikh Abdullah about the possible misuse of the law. He had said in his speech on the floor of the Assembly that this law will one day be used against those who scripted the law. His warning was ignored but history has proved him right,” he added.
Vakil further said that after 44 years Sheikh Abdullah’s grandson is seeking votes to get a full majority in order to abolish this black law.
“If he has some shame left he should apologise to those thousands of people who have been the victims of this black law during the past four decades. Only then should he talk about abolishing the Public Safety Act,” Vakil said.
